QF no more paper based BP!

[JohnK]

How long before passengers are forced to fly the aircraft to cut costs?

Greed out of control.

 

[justinbrett]

Sounds like this has come through the PR department, not operations.

Expect a long list of exceptions in the next few days. I predict very little change. It's just not possible.

Maybe they could just give everybody a plastic card with the passenger details and a barcode and they can use that as a reusable boarding pass? Oh wait...

 

[Scott K]

I used to be nostalgic about my boarding passes and keep them all, too. Movie tickets as well. But it got to the point where I'm over that clutter filling my valuable space. And yes, this is from a guy that has considerable collections of clutter in my life.
These days if the app works properly and the Qantas BP has transferred to my Apple Wallet as it should, I am more than happy not having a BP Australia wide. Sticky bits of rubbish and BPs that end up a crumpled annoyance in my case/bag/brief be dammed. If they get the system working smoothly I'm more than happy to kiss the BP good-bye.
Internationally however I feel it is going to be a bit pushing poo up-hill though as the BPs are sometimes sighted by immigration, and I am not convinced duty-free operations will be happy looking at a screen that could be anything.

 

[samh004]

I'm in the minority. Great idea.

I'm not sure it's a minority so much as you're not playing devils advocate like everyone else

When I read they were 'going digital' I didn't think they'd remove the option to get paper – or card stock – if you requested it, similar to how you can check your bags yourself or just go to a counter if you really must.

 

[BAM1748]

Anyone still using the rfid bags tags? I never did use them.

I'll be arriving at the airport as usual, without prior checking in and showing my card at the counter. What could be easier than that for a passenger.

It was suggested once while I was at check in that it was easier for me to check in at a kiosk all I had to do was type my name or scan my card, I suggested it was much easier for me if she did it and I stood and waited. Silence.

 

[Kangol]

Working in part of the recycling industry, which is extremely profitable, i dislike seeing a lot of these articles when it's all about making money, not conserving the environment.

Would not be surprised if their $/T to dump is well north of $200, so back of the envelope calc i'd think they would be chasing a $10 - 20 million saving (i once did a project where it was very profitable to do it in one state, but a loss in another simply because of the cost of disposing of the residue)

Interested in your insight in the industry, how would it be extremely profitable?

If the $/T to dump is >$200, is that for recycling only or disposing (rubbish) as well?

 

[Ewing]

Anyone still using the rfid bags tags? I never did use them.

I'll be arriving at the airport as usual, without prior checking in and showing my card at the counter. What could be easier than that for a passenger.

Every single time I used the RFID tags my bags would end up in Melbourne. After the third time I stopped.

I actually like the interaction checking in at the counter (when checking bags) so I will continue to do so until they drop the counters altogether.

I'm also a boarding pass person. Domestically I usually get the lovely staff at the lounge desk to check me in and print a BP on arrival - often results in an informal fly forward offer as well if I'm really early.

 

[Scott K]

Anyone still using the rfid bags tags? I never did use them.

I'll be arriving at the airport as usual, without prior checking in and showing my card at the counter. What could be easier than that for a passenger.

It was suggested once while I was at check in that it was easier for me to check in at a kiosk all I had to do was type my name or scan my card, I suggested it was much easier for me if she did it and I stood and waited. Silence.

I use them whenever I can. I love them and I'm glad I don't have to go ripping tags off my cases.

 

[leadman]

Interested in your insight in the industry, how would it be extremely profitable?

If the $/T to dump is >$200, is that for recycling only or disposing (rubbish) as well?

Lead-acid are the most recycled product in the world as they have a very good intrinsic value. 65% of the worlds 14 million annual tonnes of lead comes from recycling @ US$2,300/T. They are easy to recycle and in fact the battery in your car has mostly likely been recycled at least 10 times!

Most other recycled material (other than the other metals like Cu, Al, Zn) comes with what we call a TC, treatment charge; that is you pay the recycler/handler. For example to recycle the old CRT's the TC was minimum $300 and rose to $680 depending on the market. I don't know the latest TC for Umicore in Belgium in recycling Li batteries but last i heard it was over 300 euros. All the schemes i have seen in recycling these batteries all come with a TC or they just don't work.

Big problem for general recycled material is the recycling center has to sort all the different products; the plastics, metals and paper and this consumes money. Then add on huge costs when the product is contaminated. Then the plastics have to be graded..... and on and on it goes ....... and the bill keeps increasing.

Previously QF had a cash-a-can trailer near gate 1 in SYD many years ago but i don't see it any more. They used to collect the Al cans and fill the trailer up. Last night my beer can went straight into the general garbage.

My back of the envelope calc was on the collection, storing, compacting, transportation and then dumping charges at the disposal point. And a tonne of general waste takes quite a big volume.

 

[harvyk]

Personally IMHO this is simply a nonews stretch the truth story.

I strongly suspect that I'll still be able to get a paper boarding pass in 10 years time much like I can still walk in to a travel agency today and purchase an airline ticket and get a piece of paper with the ticket printed on it. As others have mentioned mobile phones are not inflable, and they can die mid trip (like mine did in NYC, it wasn't until I got to LHR that I had time to go to a mobile phone repair shop). At most there may be encouragement to get pax to used their phones rather than paper, but certainly no phasing out.

I also suspect FF cards will still be around in 10 years time. There is still an air of vanity around such things that is just not replaced with a moving image on a phone.

 

[Hoffsare]

Haven't used a paper BP for at least 2 years domestically. Can't imagine why I ever would use one again. Never had points fail to show up, and never had a bag go astray using the rfid tags which I would have used at least 200 times. Must just be lucky?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Sorry, was on a mobile device (smartphone, but couldn't post a lot all day).
Some people love to keep the BP as a diary of their trips, but must admit, in my case, (maybe I didn't do it right), but in my case, the ink started to fade, and in the end, it was just a white long hard piece of paper.
So in the end, all mine went to the recycling bin.
But some people, I think somone on here done keep them in a photo album sort of thing, and if you treat them right, they don't fade.
If sending the past BP to a drive device, then have to print it on A4 paper.
These days I just send the BP to my 2nd Aust phone number, which is a smartphone, can do QR code on that.
Haven't tried the QF trip to NZ without a paper BP yet though.
On a different note, what about Singapore, does the security person still make a stamp on the papery cardboard?
Or Hong Kong?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

...Must just be lucky?

Funny, as in no missing bags, even having the RFID status tags.
Lucky indeed.

 

[OATEK]

Sorry, was on a mobile device (smartphone, but couldn't post a lot all day).
Some people love to keep the BP as a diary of their trips, but must admit, in my case, (maybe I didn't do it right), but in my case, the ink started to fade, and in the end, it was just a white long hard piece of paper.
So in the end, all mine went to the recycling bin.
But some people, I think somone on here done keep them in a photo album sort of thing, and if you treat them right, they don't fade.
If sending the past BP to a drive device, then have to print it on A4 paper.
These days I just send the BP to my 2nd Aust phone number, which is a smartphone, can do QR code on that.
Haven't tried the QF trip to NZ without a paper BP yet though.
On a different note, what about Singapore, does the security person still make a stamp on the papery cardboard?
Or Hong Kong?

Leaving HKG last month there was no stamp, for the first time in a long time. But I didn't notice anyone in transit showing an eBP when we went through - all seemed to be paper/printed (but I wasn't looking for it either).

 

[RooFlyer]

Must just be lucky?

Yes, buy a lottery ticket.

 

[samh004]

I strongly suspect that I'll still be able to get a paper boarding pass in 10 years time

I strongly suspect you will as well.

Is everyone reading this story along the lines of Qantas completely ending paper boarding passes? That's not what I am getting... I can read between the lines and see they're aiming to reduce the footprint as much as they can by promoting digital methods instead.

 

[themaiz]

Anyone still using the rfid bags tags? I never did use them.

<snip>

I use the RFID tags all the time, and I've never had a bag vanish (well, not that I could attribute to the tag). I have had a problem with the scanner baulking due to finding a second tag inside the suitcase, attached to the backup duffel bag that I always carry - and fill - on international trips.

 

[Glider_]

I read the article with concern. I want to know much more about how they'd propose to implement it.

I can see a case for paperless for simple short domestic itineraries where you're basically using the plane as a bus and it's low-stakes. I still don't think that'll suit everyone.

But for international multi-leg travel I'm extremely uncomfortable on having to take on any risk about 'losing' my BP. I don't want to shoulder risk associated with having my own phone that's compatible with their systems, charged enough even after using it in long haul (therefore requiring charging cables compatible with who knows which foreign plug, plus relying on an airline to reliably supply power), AND needing immediate, reliable and secure internet access in another country.

I agree with the point about saving the physical passes for following up points claims, but I am more concerned for irrops where you might be delayed for hours or cancelled and jostling with 100's of other people to try and reschedule flights (with agents who might not speak english) and you standing there with a dead phone not having a scrap of paper that easily communicates everything is just going to make life that much harder. Just give me that bit of paper.

A long time ago similar concerns were probably raised about paperless ticketing, and this has generally worked out just fine. But I think the big difference is that a paperless ticket is obtained well in advance of the flight, and you have ample time to print your own at home/office/internet café if you want to (I note my most recent SQ emailed ticket states they recommend you print it and bring it with you!). But a boarding pass does not come with the convenience of time and facilities for you to DIY if you're already at the airport. And it's the last critical thing you need to get on the plane and prove your right of carriage.

I'm also pretty dubious about saying this is for the environment, not solely for profit. Sounds suspiciously like an enhancement(TM) that delivers money to QF at the expense of user experience, tied up in a bow of environment to get people to swallow it more easily.

 

[33kft]

Might be coming sooner than we thought. I had a check in agent this morning at OOL who had forgotten to print my boarding pass in the excitement of dealing with oversized luggage say "can't you just check in using the app?".

Before QF start handing out a bonus to the guy for taking the initiative early, I would say the tone and delivery of the suggestion given might need some work.

 

[Major]

I can't see how this is going to work. I have a smart phone but rarely use it onboard. If I remember to take it with me it goes into the bag. I have no idea where my FF card is, so I will check in online or turn up at the airport with my drivers licence or other ID.
They will have to issue me with some sort of boarding pass.